Rebuilding A Car Engine
by shadow0night
Summary: Set before season 1. Dean heads to Bobby's place, in order to care for his Impala and himself.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Supernatural or any character from the show, Supernatural. They belong to Kripke and crew. I'm also not getting any financial benefits, by posting this story. No copyright infringement is intended.

/SN/

Bobby was in his living room and recognized the sound of a familiar car engine coming to a stop in front of his house. In the past, the sound of that engine would cause him to have mixed emotions. Feelings of anger, frustration, disapproval, and understanding would compete with feelings of hope, sorrow, anticipation, joy, compassion, and sympathy. And while that car and its occupants remained at Bobby's house, all those emotions would be felt and would remain for a time, even after the car and its occupants had left.

Bobby waited until he heard a knock at his door, before opening the door and welcoming in one Dean Winchester.

/SN/

As a veteran hunter, Bobby Singer had seen some wild things in his day. He had witnessed things that words failed to describe and that went beyond the imagination of an ordinary person. Bobby had been hardened by things he had seen and things he had done. Very few people could even begin to understand the types of decisions and actions that Bobby had had to make. It was because of his experiences, that Bobby had chosen to live a rather solitude life. He couldn't afford to let any one get close to him, both for his safety as well as their own. He stayed in touch with a small number of people and went so far as to limit how often he even contacted them. He had become accustomed to trusting no one but himself and strived to acquire as much knowledge as possible, in order to reduce how often he had to turn to others for assistance. The chiseled hunter had earned a reputation for himself, which had secured him the respect of other hunters and even some admiration. Bobby was seen as an experienced and fair hunter. He was known as being a person, who knew how to cut to the chase and be quick to determine what was amiss. But, he was also known for not taking any crap from any one. And if you wrongly crossed his path and proved to be incompetent and inept, then Bobby had no qualms about walking away and never looking back.

And yet, some how, Bobby found himself making an exception, when it came to the Winchesters. John Winchester was a man… no, a _father_, who had chosen to get involved with hunting the supernatural. On more than one occasion, Bobby had snorted in disgust at decisions that John had made and the actions John had chosen to take during a hunt. And normally, John's behavior would have justified Bobby walking away from the man and discouraging John from ever contacting him again. Except, there were two pairs of young eyes who looked up to Bobby and had some how wormed their way into Bobby's heart.

Bobby had once been married and had had plans for children of his own. But, the supernatural world had stepped in and stolen Bobby's plans for the future. He had resigned himself to never falling in love again and to the thought that children would never be a part in his life. Even though Bobby had helped many children who had fallen victim to the supernatural; he had always been good at keeping them at arm's length. While he would be concerned for their safety and well-being, he never got too emotionally invested in them and remained focused on doing his job.

And yet, despite the walls that Bobby had put up to protect himself and to keep his emotions from impacting his decisions, the young Winchester boys had found some way to get into his heart. Bobby was never able to figure out why he felt the way he did about the young men. He just knew that he felt protective of them and had a strong emotional desire to be there for them. Of course, he would never admit how he emotionally felt about them and was able to find more rational facts to support his decision about the brothers. But late at night, when Bobby was alone and truly honest with himself, he found himself admitting how strongly he felt for the boys and that his concern was more heart felt than it was rational.

The boys' father easily caused Bobby's anger, frustration, and disapproval to rise. The experienced hunter understood John's desire to hunt down the thing that had stolen his wife from him. Bobby knew what it was like to lose a wife and could have easily supported a grieving husband's desire for revenge. But, there were two young lives that were affected by John's unyielding ambition of getting revenge. And that is why Bobby disapproved of John's behavior. The grief-stricken man dragged his children around the country and forced them to cope with things that no person, neither young nor old, should ever have to deal with. A young Dean had stepped up and worked to protect his younger brother from knowing the truth about their father and what their father really did. Bobby had seen how a young man had had far more responsibilities and burdens placed on his shoulders than any child should ever have to bear. Bobby's disapproval had turned to pure anger, on more than one occasion, with regards to what John expected from his eldest child and how John treated his children. More than once, Bobby had had a discussion with John about this very topic, although the discussion usually led to shouting and came close to the throwing of fists.

But, Bobby worked hard to never let his anger drive John and the boys too far away. To a certain extent, Bobby could have cared less about what happened to John and could easily have felt impartial about whether John lived or died. However, Bobby knew that the lives of two young children hinged on John remaining alive. And Bobby knew that in order to ensure that he could keep tabs on the children, that he needed John to trust him and to ensure that John remained comfortable with entrusting Bobby with his children.

And so it was that Bobby anticipated the arrival of the Winchester brothers. He looked forward to seeing how much they had grown and how they were doing in school. When the boys were young, Bobby had held hope that the boys would find some way to free themselves of the hunting world and hoped that the boys would prove that it was possible to live a normal life, after having been touched by the supernatural. However, hope had turned to sorrow; as Bobby watched the boys learn about hunting and take an active role in hunting the supernatural. When the boys were young, Bobby had felt joy, as he watched the boys playing and being kids. Bobby had even felt some joy, when he heard that Sam had gone off to college, although that joy had been tinged with sorrow, since Bobby knew that it must have caused Dean some pain to see his brother leave.

Even when the young Winchester boys played at Bobby's place, the childless hunter took pleasure in hearing them laugh and enjoyed their company. That wasn't to say that the boys always stayed out of trouble and that Bobby never had to worry about what kind of mischief the boys were getting into. Rather, the boys helped to bring a little bit of normalcy into Bobby's life. For a short time, the hunter would be able to forget about the supernatural as he watched the brothers play together. However, Bobby would feel sorrow and sympathy as he would watch the boys and their father leave his place, since Bobby knew that their departure meant that John was moving on to another hunt and that once again the boys would find themselves in another strange town. Bobby felt sorry that the boys' lives involved never being able to call some place home and that the boys never knew what it was like to attend one school for an entire year. Their lives were spent going from place to place with their father and training to hunt the supernatural.

And so it was that whenever the Winchesters showed up at his door, Bobby would always open it and welcome them in. Bobby would show the boys compassion by taking the time to listen to what the boys had to say and by letting them know that they could always turn to him for anything. Bobby didn't consider himself to be a softy and would have easily re-educated any one who called him such a thing. But when it came to the young boys, Bobby was a little less gruff, a little more patient, a little less strict, and a little more caring.


	2. Chapter 2

As Dean drove down the highway, he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the music that was blaring from the car's speakers. Although his eyes were on the road, his mind was a million miles away. He was on his way to Bobby's place, where he planned on rebuilding his car's engine. The Impala was one of the very few things that remained constant in Dean's life. As a result, he cared for it the way any parent would care for a child. He took care of it and ensured that it was well maintained and healthy. Dean valued things that he could rely on and knew that work went into making things dependable. And right now, the only things that Dean could depend on were the Impala and the weapons that were in the trunk.

Sam was off at college and John was somewhere. Dean didn't know where his father was. He only knew that John was busy with a hunt and had left Dean on his own. But, Dean had no qualms about being left alone. He had spent many years, as a child, being left alone to care for his younger brother. Dean was accustomed to having only himself to rely on and knew how to look out for himself. It wasn't that he preferred to be alone. Rather, it was out of necessity that Dean had been forced to be comfortable with only having himself to depend on. Throughout his young life, Dean had been responsible for his younger brother and had bore most of the responsibility for raising Sam. The eldest child had been expected to act as the guardian of his younger brother and was constantly reminded by his father to look out for his younger sibling. Dean had willingly done as he was told and felt that he had done his best.

And now, Dean was alone. His brother had left him for college. Dean had mixed emotions about his brother's absence. He understood Sam's need for normalcy and could understand his brother's desire to get out of hunting. Except, that meant that Dean couldn't turn to his brother for help during a hunt and that his brother wouldn't be there to watch his back. It meant that Dean was truly alone and had no one who he could freely talk to about hunting and everything that went with it. A long, resigned sigh escaped Dean's mouth.

Right now, all Dean could rely on was the Impala and he was going to do everything he could to ensure that she would stay with him for many more years to come. Cars never leave their owners; instead owners are the ones who move on to another car. But, Dean wasn't one of those owners. No. He planned on keeping the Impala forever. As long as he maintained it and cared for it, the Impala would never fail him and would never leave him stranded all alone, unlike some people in Dean's life.

Dean's eyes glanced in the rearview mirror. Catching a glimpse of the car's backseat, Dean recalled the years that he and his brother spent riding in the back. He recalled the long, tedious hours spent riding from one strange town to another. A large portion of Dean's childhood had been spent as a passenger in the Impala. Hell, he could honestly say that he and his brother grew up in the car. Most people recall growing up in a house and all the time they spent there. Dean never had a house to grow up in, after the supernatural took his mother from him.

Before Mary's death, Dean had a normal life. He had two parents and a place to call home. He had a yard to play in and neighborhood friends. His life was just like many other kids his age. He even had a younger brother, who he planned on playing with and throwing the ball with. At that time, there really wasn't anything in Dean's life that would have set him apart from other kids his age. And that remained true, up until the night that his mother was killed. After that night, Dean's life was never normal again. In fact, it was so far from the reservation that no one would ever believe what Dean's life had become.

Dean's life went from having a house to call home, to a life of traveling from place to place. As a child, Dean had been jealous of people who had mobile homes. Although they too traveled from town to town, they at least got to sleep in the same bed night after night. Dean never knew where he and Sam would get to sleep. Some times, they got to sleep in a hotel or an empty house. Other nights were spent sleeping in the Impala. To lessen the impact of having an uncertain future, Dean had turned all the traveling into a game. Sam was too young, when Mary died, to be able to recall what it was like to have a home. And Dean did his best to make Sam feel safe, wherever they went. But, Dean knew that how they were living was wrong and knew what they were missing out on. As Sam grew up and interacted more with kids his age, Sam too came to realize what others kids had that he didn't. On more than one occasion, Sam had openly asked Dean why they didn't have a home and Dean had had to come up with an answer that would satisfy his brother's curiosity.

During their life on the road, the Winchesters rarely encountered the same person more than once. It was normal for the brothers to make friends in a school for a few short months and then never see or hear from them again. And so it was that the brothers learned to rely on each other, since the only constant in their lives was each other. One of the few exceptions was Bobby Singer. Dean never really knew how it was that John had met Bobby. But, Dean did know that John trusted Bobby and on more than one occasion, the boys got to spend a night at Bobby's place. In fact, Bobby's house was the only place that the Winchester family had visited and stayed at on more than one occasion.

And now, when Dean needed some place to stay and work on his car, he turned to Bobby for help. All it had taken was a quick call and Dean was then on the road to his friend's place. Not only did Bobby have a familiar bed for Dean to sleep in; but, the man also had a garage for Dean to work on his car in.


	3. Chapter 3

For two days, Dean had been diligently working on his beloved car. He meticulously worked to take the engine apart and examined ever piece as it was removed. Prior to his arrival, Dean had informed Bobby what parts he would need and Bobby had bought and ordered everything for Dean. Now as Dean made himself at home in the garage, Dean laid out the new parts on a nearby table, where they would be readily seen and available. Bobby had been very thorough with rounding up all the supplies that were needed for overhauling an engine and Dean appreciated the fact that Bobby's diligence would save him from having to make any runs to an auto parts store for supplies.

SN

Bobby walked by the garage and looked through an open door, as Dean continued to work on the engine. Dean had already thanked him for the use of the garage and for gathering up the engine parts and supplies. Normally, Bobby wasn't keen on having some one use his tools and preferred to do all repairs himself. But, Dean wasn't _some one_. Dean was Dean and had earned Bobby's respect. Bobby knew that Dean would use the tools with care and would put everything back the way he had found it. As a child, Dean had been John's assistant, when it came time to work on the Impala. So, Dean knew his way around the engine and knew what needed to be done and how to do it properly the first time. Bobby smiled as memories of watching a much younger Dean working on the Impala superimposed with a slightly older Dean working on the Impala. Dean's skilled hands worked on the engine in an expertly and efficient manner that was very rare among young men his age. In fact, Bobby couldn't think of a single man, Dean's age, who could compete with the young Winchester. Dean was in a class all his own. And Bobby knew, that that meant that Dean lead a rather lonely life.

Unlike most young men his age, Dean didn't have any close friends or any friends from school to spend time with. For most of his life, Dean had moved from school to school and was never given the opportunity to form any longstanding friendships. As Bobby thought about it, he realized that once Dean had left a school he probably never saw any of those kids ever again and had had no means of keeping in touch with any of them. And since Bobby knew most of the people who actively hunted the supernatural, Bobby knew that no other hunter was Dean's age and that this meant that Dean couldn't spend time with or swap stories with some one his own age. This left Dean with no other option then to spend time with some one much older than himself and meant that Dean had to deal with an age gap on some subjects. Luckily, the young man was into classic rock, which helped to bridge some of the age gap, at least when it came to music.

As Bobby stepped away from the garage and began to head back to the house, his thoughts wandered back to the days when a younger Dean and Sam played around the yard. The yard didn't have a play-set and hadn't been designed to be used as a place for kids to play. But the boys had made the best of it and had spent many hours running around and climbing over, through, and under junked cars. Sure, some knees and elbows had gotten scraped. And some falls had left small welts as a reminder of where some one's body had come in contact with a hard, unmovable object. But, the boys never slowed down and were always quick to get back to whatever game they'd been playing. While most boys the Winchesters' ages would have been playing cowboys and Indians or cops and robbers, the young Winchester boys would busy themselves by playing hunter and hunted and pretending to chase some monster. And instead of playing cops and robbers, the boys usually took turns being the cop while the other brother found ways to allude or escape the 'officer'. Even as children, the young Winchesters tried to hone their hunting skills through play. Given the games the boys played tended to be far gentler than the rigorous training that John put them through. The man had been a marine and at times, forgot that his boys were boys and not young marines. John had been harsh and Bobby couldn't help but think that John's attitude and treatment of the boys was one of the main reasons why Sam had gone off to college.

While Sam had willingly left for college, Dean had remained behind with John. However, for whatever reason, John had left Dean and Dean was on his own. Bobby frowned, as he entered his house, and thought about the position that Dean was now in. The young man deserved far more than life had given him. He deserved a stable family and a place to call home. Dean's life experiences had made him the courageous, strong, and determined hunter that he was. Caring and protecting Sam and training and hunting with John had built Dean into the man that he was. Just like the engine, which Dean was skillfully rebuilding, had many parts, so too did Dean. Bobby knew that he didn't know all about Dean's life and didn't know everything that the young man had experienced. However, Bobby knew enough to know that most of Dean's life had been full of hearing about, seeing, and hunting evil, supernatural things. Bobby knew that Dean had probably experienced far more bad things than good. And yet despite all that, Dean tended to have an upbeat attitude and appreciated the little things, such as a good meal and a clean bed.

SN

Dean was aware of Bobby walking near the garage. Dean heard Bobby come to a stop near the door to the garage. The young man continued to work on his car, as he listened for any sign of the garage's owner entering the building. But, Bobby never entered the garage and Dean simply continued doing what he was doing.

Some time later, Dean stood up, grabbed a rag and cleaned some grime off the part, which was lying in the young man's hand. After cleaning the part, the young hunter expertly inspected it for any flaws and was satisfied to see that it did not need replaced and would be able to continue the role it played in making the engine work properly. Dean added the part to others, which had been arranged on a nearby table. Turning back to his beloved car, the young man saw that he would soon be able to hoist the engine out of the vehicle.

With a small sigh, Dean knew that he was slowly working on the Impala. Had he needed to, Dean could have easily have had the engine out by now and would be much farther along with his project. But, Dean was in no rush. In fact, there really wasn't anywhere that he needed to be right now. John was busy with a hunt. Sam was off at college. And Dean… Dean was taking some downtime and was using the Impala as an excuse for taking time away from hunting. Yes, the Impala needed some attention. But, there was nothing currently wrong with the car. And if need be, the Impala could easily take Dean wherever he needed to go… that is if Dean put back the parts, which he had recently removed within the past couple days.

As Dean tenderly slid his hand along the side of the car, he admitted that he needed some time to clear his head and working on the Impala allowed him to do that. So much had gone on during Dean's life and Sam's recent departure for college had come close to being the last straw for Dean. While still a child, Dean had lost his mother and his home. He had found himself responsible for caring for his younger brother, while still being a child himself. Dean had had to mature quickly and learn how to handle responsibility. As Dean grew up and watched Sam grow up as well, he had hopes and dreams for his and his brother's future. As unrealistic as it may have been, young Dean had always hoped that, at some point, the family would stop hunting and would settle down. He had known that it would probably never happen and had wasted little time thinking about it and never did anything to feed into the illusion. But some nights, when things had been particularly tough or when their father had come close to getting killed during a hunt, young Dean would pray that their hunting-lifestyle would come to an end and that they could be a real family and live in their own house. But that dream never came true and Dean had worked hard to prepare himself and Sam for a lifetime of hunting. However, Sam had found a way to escape that lifestyle. Sam had found a way to put down the weapons and pick up a pen and paper and get to live a normal life… well as _normal_ a life as college life can be.

Dean placed both hands on his car, as he peered down at the engine. Dean felt as exposed as the engine that was in front of him. Just as the engine was now missing some parts, so too was Dean. Sam was no longer hunting by his side and even their father had left Dean alone. If need be, Dean knew that he could take care of himself. Hell, that was one thing that John had insisted that the boys be able to do. John had drilled the boys to be independent and self-reliant. The ex-marine had insisted that the boys be able to care and fend for themselves if need be.

And yet, despite that training and having lived a somewhat desolate lifestyle, Dean felt broken and unprepared for whatever lie ahead. Of course, Dean would never verbally admit that to any one. It was only here… in the garage with his beloved car, that the young man was able to be honest with himself, without feeling as though others were judging him. Perhaps, Dean had been too naïve when he had thought that he would get to spend many years hunting the supernatural with John and Sam. Sure, Dean knew that any of them could easily get killed or seriously injured during a hunt. But, that wasn't how it came to be that Dean now found himself alone. No! The two most important people in Dean's life… Hell, the only people in Dean's life had left him!

Dean's hands began to tighten and turn into fists, as his thoughts continued. After everything that Dean had done to help those two men… after all the effort that Dean had put in to keeping them all together… despite everything that Dean had done to try and keep them a family, they were now separated and had gone their own way. Dean's shoulders slumped and his hands relaxed as a feeling of desolation washed over Dean.


	4. Chapter 4

The previous night, Bobby had noticed a change in Dean, when Dean returned to the house after working in the garage. There was a certain sadness around the young man and something that resembled defeat. Bobby wasn't sure what was going through Dean's head; but, something had obviously caused Dean to feel downtrodden. Bobby knew that it had to be hard on Dean to watch Sam leave for college. And, where was John?! Bobby scowled as he considered John's absence. Sam was off to study and John was off to God knows where. As Bobby prepared breakfast in the kitchen, he looked up at the ceiling. A floor above him the young hunter slept, although Bobby knew that Dean would soon be downstairs once the smell of eggs and bacon worked its way upstairs. That boy definitely had an appetite and enjoyed a good meal. A smile replaced the scowl, as Bobby's thoughts returned to Dean.

SN

Dean awoke. At first, he wasn't sure what had disturbed his sleep. Honed instincts kicked in and without even opening his eyes, Dean was aware of his surroundings. Before his eyelids could part or his eyes had a chance to look around the room, Dean knew that he was alone in the room. He also sensed that he was in no immediate danger. Taking a long, drawn-out sniff, Dean's nose hungrily consumed the smell of breakfast that had lured him from his sleep. Dean's stomach growled in anticipation for the meal it was about to receive.

As Dean began to get out of bed, he smiled. Besides the eggs, bacon and coffee, Dean knew that Bobby was waiting for his arrival in the kitchen. Previously when the young Winchesters would stay with Bobby, Bobby would always ensure that a good breakfast greeted them in the morning. By no means was Bobby a gourmet chef. Rather, the experienced hunter knew how to prepare a meal that filled one's stomach and gave you the fuel you needed for whatever you did that day. By the time Dean made it to the bedroom's doorway, his mouth was already watering and the smell of the strong coffee had brought him fully awake.

Dean liked waking up at Bobby's. Even when John was in a rush to go somewhere, Bobby had always insisted that the Winchesters ate their fill of breakfast, before heading out the door. As a child, Dean had purposefully, on occasion, slowly eaten his breakfast, since he knew that their departure from Bobby's always meant John was about to begin another hunt and that they were moving on to another strange town. When John yelled at his oldest son for his leisurely eating, Bobby would step in and work to buy the boys time to slowly consume their meals. Perhaps, that was why Dean enjoyed a good meal. Eating a meal was one of the few times when John allowed the boys to stop training or hunting. There were times when John postponed a meal, until after the boys had successfully learned a certain technique or the boys had completed whatever task he had assigned them. But in the end, John could never deny the fact that the boys needed to eat and as a result, there was always some time taken away from hunting for that very task.

SN

In the kitchen, the two hunters quietly ate their first meal of the day. With a small sense of appreciation, Bobby watched Dean ravenously devour what the older hunter had prepared. At least, Dean's appetite wasn't being affected by Dean's mood. Upon Dean's arrival in the kitchen, Bobby had noticed some improvement in Dean's demeanor compared to the previous night. However, Bobby sensed that there was still a dark cloud hovering over the young man's head.

As Bobby finished his coffee, he asked Dean, "How's the car coming along?"

Around a mouthful of eggs, toast, and bacon, Dean replied, "Just about ready to hoist the engine out."

"Need a hand with that?"

Swallowing his mouthful of food, Dean looked at Bobby. "You got time to help," Dean neutrally asked.

"Sure, I do." Bobby answered.

SN

A short time later, both men could be found in the garage. The kitchen had been cleared of any evidence that breakfast had been made or eaten there. Dean had been somewhat surprised by Bobby's offer to help with the car. Dean wasn't shocked, rather… well simply put… since John and Sam had left, Dean was beginning to feel as though he was alone and that no one cared what Dean was up to. Dean certainly didn't need any one to hold his hand. However, it was nice to know that some one wondered what Dean was doing and wanted to have a role in Dean's life. It was nice not feeling as though you were alone in the world. Bobby was no nursemaid and was not going to be doting on Dean. But, Dean knew that Bobby was willing to lend a hand, if Dean wanted him to. The young hunter also knew that Bobby was a very good friend, who Dean could turn to and trust. A friend was someone that Dean had very, very few of. And with the recent departure of Sam and John, Dean definitely cherished Bobby's friendship.


	5. Chapter 5

Around lunchtime, Bobby headed back to the house intent of pulling out some food for lunch. He had noticed an improvement in Dean's mood and hoped that things continued to look up for the young man. For several hours, the two men had been working on the Impala's engine. Prior to today, Dean had removed much of what had surrounded the engine and had held the engine in place. In fact, Bobby had noticed that Dean could have easily continued working on the car by himself. But, Bobby suspected that Dean had accepted his offer of assistance for a reason other than the car. Dean's arrival, soon after Sam's departure for college and the lack of John's presence, led Bobby to think that the Impala wasn't the main reason Dean had called him. Whatever Dean's reason, Bobby didn't mind the boy's company.

Prior to Bobby returning to the house to prepare lunch, the two men had quietly worked on the Impala. Both were experienced and knowledgeable of what steps needed to be done, in order to safely remove the engine. Few words were exchanged as the engine was extracted from the frame. Since the car belonged to Dean, Bobby was more than willing to let Dean call the shots and direct the extraction. Not surprisingly, the removal went well and no problems arose. After the engine had been hoisted out of the car and dangled in the air, suspended there by chains and a wench, Bobby debated leaving Dean alone to work on the engine or remaining in the garage to assist.

During the previous two days, Bobby had unobtrusively kept an eye on Dean. Bobby never wanted Dean to feel like he was being watched. Rather, Bobby wanted the young man to know that he was around and available if Dean needed anything. Bobby knew Dean long enough to know that the young man wasn't the type to readily open up about his emotions. But at the same time, Bobby knew Dean long enough to know that Dean's mood was currently more negative than positive. The eldest hunter had no intention of prying into the younger man's business; but, he was more than willing to listen to anything Dean had to say and was willing to discuss whatever might be on Dean's mind. The young man could tell a tale as good as the next hunter. But when it came to revealing feelings and emotions, the young man tended to be mute. On the rare occasion when Dean expressed how he was feeling, Bobby knew that it only occurred with some one he felt he could trust and when he felt that he wouldn't be viewed as being a wimp for being something other than steadfast and emotionally detached. After all, wasn't a soldier supposed to always be able to carry out orders and be able to turn his emotions off? Wasn't a soldier an individual who was guided by logic and not by feelings? But it was the heart of the solider that kept him true to his duty and with that heart came emotions and at times, the emotions weren't always logical. So, as the engine hung all exposed in the air, Bobby waited to see if Dean would continue to mind Bobby remaining in the garage or if Dean would prefer to be left alone to work. While weighing whether or not he should leave, Bobby continued to work on the engine. When Dean gave no sign of wanting to be alone, Bobby gladly remained in the garage and found himself enjoying the opportunity to work with Dean on something other than a hunt.

SN

Bobby distractedly put food on the table for lunch. He had been somewhat surprised to see that a message had been left on his answering machine, while he had been in the garage helping Dean. Having listened to the message and now preparing lunch for himself and Dean, Bobby found himself replaying the message in his head. A hunter had called to inform Bobby of something nasty that was killing people one state over from Bobby's place. The caller was currently unable to go after the thing and thought that Bobby might want to investigate it. The hunter wasn't dumping a case on Bobby. Rather, the caller was concerned that the thing might be headed Bobby's way and wanted to give Bobby a heads up.

As Bobby placed the last item on the kitchen table, he glanced out the window towards the garage. Bobby had noticed an improvement in Dean and while Bobby knew that Dean wasn't one to be coddled, Bobby still wanted to ensure that Dean's mood didn't sour again. Although Dean hadn't said anything, Bobby was fairly certain that Dean's mood and mindset were due to Sam's departure to college and John's departure to locations unknown. Bobby did not want to leave Dean as well and possibly cause the young man to feel like he was once again being deserted.

Bobby weighed his options, as he watched Dean leave the garage and approach the house. Bobby was accustomed to hunting on his own. If Dean helped him with this hunt and got hurt, Bobby would never forgive himself. Yet, Dean was a very competent and capable hunter, whose assistance would probably ensure that Bobby would wrap up this hunt quicker than if he did it on his own. But, Bobby couldn't ignore the fact that Dean was not in his usual mindset and that the young man seemed a little less self-assured. The wrong mindset and emotions could cloud a hunter's judgment and cause them to make a dangerous mistake. As the kitchen's squeaking door shut, Bobby made up his mind.


	6. Chapter 6

As the two men returned to Bobby's place, Dean reflected on the past week. Earlier on, Dean had felt crushed by the departure of his father and brother. Dean relied on and trusted very few people and to have the two most important people, in his life, leave had been devastating. In fact, the young hunter had been surprised by how badly he had felt after their departure. By no means could any one call Dean Winchester a drama queen or a softy. However, Dean's heart and soul suffered a demoralizing blow, when his family left him. To some extent, he felt as though he would have handled things better had they died, instead of deserting him and moving on with their lives. It wasn't that he wished that his family was dead. By no means, was that something he would ever want! However, had they died, he would have more easily accepted the fact that they could no longer have a role in his life and would have accepted the fact that he was left alone to continue hunting. But, that wasn't how things had worked out. The two people who Dean cared the most about had simply left him. Sam had decided that he no longer wanted to hunt and that the academic life was for him, with plans to go on and become a lawyer. And his father… well, that was a different story. His father had decided that he didn't want his eldest son to hunt with him any more and felt that his eldest son should go hunt by himself. However, John's decision seemed somewhat contrary to how he had trained the boys. True, John had taught them to be independent and how to look out for themselves. But at the same time, John had also taught the importance of teamwork and family. John had stressed being able to trust your family to have your back and had stressed the importance of family. Had his father forgotten that lesson?!

Dean stared out the passenger window of the vehicle that Bobby was driving. His mind and heart were at odds with themselves and each other. Logically, Dean understood Sam wanting to get out of hunting and at the same time, Dean was proud of his brother's accomplishment at being accepted by Stanford. Dean had helped raise Sam and was happy to see his brother succeed in something other than hunting. However, Dean couldn't understand Sam's willingness to leave hunting and no longer be there to watch Dean's back. Dean was also heart-broken over the fact that, since leaving for college, Sam had made no attempts to contact Dean. It was as though Sam was ashamed of where he had come from and no longer wanted to be connected to his family. Now with regards to their father… Dean sighed. Not only had one loved one turned Dean's world upside down; but, his father had also decided that Dean's life wasn't bad enough and had also decided to leave Dean. This wasn't the first time that John had left to hunt on his own. But, this was the first time that Dean was left _alone_ while John hunted. In the past, Sam had been there to keep Dean company; but, that was no longer the case and John knew that, before he left. Dean understood John wanting to hunt on his own, after all, it wasn't the first time that John had done that. Dean also felt some pride that John trusted Dean to be fully capable of soldiering on on his own and that John had expressed no doubts about Dean's ability to carry on by himself. However, Dean couldn't understand John's sudden decision to leave Dean so soon after Sam's departure. The eldest son was also saddened by the fact that his father didn't want him to continue hunting by his side and that his father had put some very real distance between himself and his son.

Dean looked at his reflection in the window and noticed the sadness in his eyes. Dean stared at the eyes that stared back and forced them to turn cold and indifferent. He knew he was in a tail-spin and needed to pull himself together. He couldn't afford to wallow in self-pity and needed to get back to hunting. Self-pity wouldn't improve his situation and wouldn't make his father or brother return to him. No! Dean needed to carry on like a good solider and needed to continue hunting and killing the supernatural. The supernatural had caused enough grief for his family and Dean planned on doing his best to stop the supernatural from wrecking any more families.

Thankfully, Dean had been able to turn to Bobby for help. A simple call was all that it took for Dean to have a place to sleep and some good company. Bobby had let Dean take over the garage and had even supplied Dean with the tools and parts that he needed. Dean wasn't just thankful for the physical tools and parts needed to work on the Impala's engine. Dean was also thankful for the emotional tools and parts that Bobby had provided. Bobby had provided Dean with a place where Dean felt safe. Bobby had also given Dean the space he needed to clear his head and address his emotions, without making Dean feel as though he was less of a man for needing some time to process his family's departure. Bobby had also been supportive and willing to listen. Dean really hadn't said much, while staying with Bobby. But, the young man knew that Bobby was there and that Bobby had picked up on Dean's nonverbal communication. Bobby had kept an eye on Dean and made certain that Dean was taken care of. Bobby had even made certain that Dean ate and that the young man didn't miss a meal. Dean hadn't had much of an appetite; but, once Bobby made a meal and the aroma of the prepared food captured Dean's nose, his hunger appeared and he found himself comforted by Bobby's cooking. Bobby had also provided Dean with a sense of security, which Dean had lost after his father and brother left him. In fact, Dean hadn't realized just how much his family's exodus had affected him, until after he arrived at Bobby's, was able to take stock of things and see how all the small things that Bobby did impacted him.

As Dean continued to look into the eyes that looked back at him, he saw resolve appear. He knew what he needed to do and that it was time to move on. His family had left him; but, his life had not come to an end. There were still more supernatural things that needed to be hunted down and killed. The recent hunt with Bobby had proven that Dean was still a capable and efficient hunter. He hadn't lost his abilities along with his family. His father and brother could still once again become active in his life. But for now, Dean knew that he could carry on on his own. He knew that he was fully capable of forging on and continuing the hunt. Perhaps one day, he would come across his father while on a hunt and the two of them could hunt together again. And maybe some day, Sam would get a craving for a good hunt and would give Dean a call. But, Dean wasn't going to sit around and wait to see when those things might happen. And, he wasn't going to day dream about stuff that might never happen. Instead, he was going to put his baby back together and hit the road. With Bobby's help, Dean had been able to take care of himself and put himself back together. Now, it was time to start thinking about the future and to stop looking back at the past. Dean knew what decisions his family had made and the actions they had taken. And since they weren't around for him to see what they were doing, he knew that it was a waste of time to wonder what they were up to. He needed to look ahead and to make decisions about what _he_ was going to do and where _he_ was headed. He was going to carry on the family business and was going to continue hunting the supernatural. As Dean finalized his decision about his future, he began to feel more confident and more prepared to face whatever the future had in store for him.


	7. Chapter 7

Bobby silently drove them back to his place. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Dean looking out the side window. What was Dean thinking? During his stay and the hunt, Dean had shown no signs of wanting to talk about anything, besides the Impala. A few times, Bobby had considered asking Dean some questions about his mood; but, Bobby always changed his mind and decided to give Dean some space. Dean had sought out Bobby's help and had willingly arrived at Bobby's place. Bobby didn't want to pressure Dean and didn't want the young man to feel that he was going to be forced into exposing his feelings. If Dean wanted to talk, Bobby was there to listen and knew that Dean was aware of that fact. So, Bobby remained close at hand and let Dean decide what he wanted to say or do.

With regards to the hunt that the two men had just finished, Bobby had not been surprised by Dean's performance. Dean was a solider in so many ways and had successfully gotten the job done, even if his heart wasn't in it. Just as Bobby had expected, Dean had rallied himself together and done what needed done. It hadn't been an extremely difficult hunt; but, one never knew when things could take a turn for the worse and always had to be on guard for the unexpected.

Bobby had been around John and the young Winchester boys enough to know that John had never been big on rewarding the boys for a job well-done. Rather, John tended to be the sort who demanded that things always be done right the first time and was more inclined to punish when errors were made than reward any successes. So after Bobby and Dean had disposed of the creatures remains, Bobby had given a slight nod and smile to Dean. Bobby's acknowledgement was received with a smile from Dean and a softening of his eyes. However, Bobby found himself unable to only give Dean that small gesture of an acknowledgement. So, as the two men walked back to Bobby's vehicle, Bobby also gave Dean a pat on the back. No words were exchanged between the two men; but, Bobby noticed Dean relax more, as they climbed into the truck. Bobby had been shocked a short time later, when Dean had broken the silence with a quiet "Thanks".

Quizzically, Bobby had looked at Dean. At first, Bobby had been uncertain why Dean was thanking him. Then, he realized that Dean wasn't just thanking him for the acknowledgement or simply for being invited on the hunt. Bobby realized that Dean was thanking him for those things, plus Bobby's support and Bobby's company. Bobby then replied with a slight nod of his head and an "Anytime". Since that quick exchange, the two men had ridden silently in the truck.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bobby noticed a change in Dean's posture. The hunter couldn't see the young man's face; but, he suspected that Dean had just reached some decision about something.

SN

After returning back at Bobby's place from the hunt, the two men were back working on the Impala's engine the following morning. Bobby had sensed that Dean was ready to get back to hunting and offered to continue giving Dean a hand with the car. Dean had readily accepted and together the two men worked diligently on the vehicle. Since the engine had been removed from the Impala's frame, the men were easily able to access all sides of it and were able to quickly work to rebuild it. Many miles had been put on the Impala and with the rebuilding of the engine, the Impala would easily be able to travel many more miles.

As the men worked to rebuild the engine and then put the car back together, they enjoyed each other's company. While working, they exchanged stories and recalled shared experiences. They shared many laughs, while piecing the car back together. The mood in the garage was light and both men realized that Dean was back to his good old self. Sure, Dean still missed his family; but, he was no longer being dragged down by his feelings of loss and desertion.

Three days later the last part was placed in the Impala, Dean knew he wanted to get back on the road that night. Bobby invited Dean to spend one more night; but, Dean wanted to hit the road and didn't mind driving at night. Dean didn't want Bobby to think he didn't appreciate everything that Bobby had done. So, Dean took the gracious hunter out for dinner. Even then, the two men continued to share stories and enjoyed each other's company. Once dinner was over and the men were back at Bobby's place, Dean packed his gear in the car and bid Bobby farewell. As Dean drove away, he looked back in his rearview mirror and watched Bobby's place grow smaller in size. Dean's mood had drastically improved compared to what it had been, prior to arriving at Bobby's place. As he continued to drove down the road, Dean knew that he and the Impala were ready to travel many more miles and that both were in top form.

SN

Bobby watched Dean drive away. The hunter didn't go back into his house, until after the Impala could no longer be seen. A smile appeared on Bobby's face, as he thought about Dean's current mood. When Dean had first arrived, Bobby had been very worried about the young man and had been concerned about Dean's future. But, Bobby was no longer as worried or as concerned as he had once been. Bobby was still worried and concerned about what Dean might encounter and what might happen to Dean. But, Bobby knew that Dean was setting out with a clear head and was physically and mentally ready for whatever he might encounter. And although Dean's family wasn't by his side, Bobby knew that the young hunter would be fine on his own.


	8. Epilogue

As the asphalt passed beneath its wheels, the Impala cruised happily down the road. A little over a week ago, she had been worried about her owner. The young man had been one of her wards for many years. She had transported him around the country and helped protect him from the elements. Not only had she provided shelter while being driven; but some nights, she had also served as a place to sleep. She had watched the young man and his sibling grow. She had shared in their joys and sorrows.

She had been saddened when the current driver's father and brother had left. She knew that she would miss their company; but, she was saddened even more when she noticed the impact that their departure had on the young man. The young man became distracted and depressed. It was as though his heart had lost its ability to enjoy life. Even when the man's favorite songs played on the radio, the Impala noticed the lack of response from the driver. In the past, favorite songs would cause the young man to happily drum his fingers on her steering wheel and even entice the young man to vocally add to the chorus. But after his family's departure, the songs lost their effect on the young man. Occasionally, his fingers might drum on the steering wheel; but, the Impala realized that it was more of a reflex action and that spirit was lacking in their movements. She had noticed many subtle changes in the young man that caused her to be concerned. Not only did music no longer please him; but, even food had lost its ability to entice the young man. On more than one occasion, after exiting a restaurant, the young man had climbed into the vehicle and began to rave about the meal he had just eaten. But after his family left him, her driver had lost interest in food. He barely ate and even expressed no interest in finding the best burger joint in town. After just a couple weeks, the Impala had noticed that the young man was sitting a little lighter in the front seat. She was troubled by the changes that she saw in her driver and wondered how she might be able to help him.

It pleased her when they finally pulled into a familiar driveway. She recalled many pleasant memories of the young driver and his brother playing in that yard years ago. She hoped that the young man's spirit would finally be lifted. As she was driven into a garage, she wondered what was about to take place. She trusted her driver; but, due to his current mood, she pondered what was about to happen. Just as he had lost interest in music and food, had he also lost interest in her? Just as his family had left him, was he now going to leave her? After all, cars weren't the ones to leave their owners; weren't owners the ones who left their cars?

Her apprehension eased some, as he began to work on her. However, she noticed a sadness in his actions. His movements were more automated and his touch was cool and unfeeling. When he did finally caress her side, she noticed that he was distracted and that his action was an unconscious one. As the young man took her apart, she began to feel as exposed and broken as he did. She knew that the young man was knowledgeable on how to care for her and that the young man was capable of putting her back together. But, would he want to? Was he so heart-broken that he wouldn't have the energy or desire to piece her back together? He too was in pieces and if he couldn't piece himself back together, was it realistic to expect him to put the Impala back together?

When the garage owner joined the young man in removing the Impala's engine, she became somewhat relieved. Normally, the young man could easily piece himself back together; perhaps, some assistance from the other man would facilitate that task. However, the Impala's doubts grew, when the two men failed to return to the garage the next day and the day after that. She had thought things were improving for her driver; but, the lack of his presence made her wonder if she had assumed too much.

Finally, the two men returned and immediately the Impala noticed a mark improvement in her owner. His touch was light, purposeful, and tender. He readily talked with the garage owner and together much laughing was shared. The vehicle basked in the friendship and comradery of the two men. Her spirit was lifted, when she noticed that the young man was acting more like himself and was more lively than he had been for some time.

And so it was, as the Impala and her driver left the familiar driveway, things felt back to normal, even though two individuals were missing from the car's interior. She didn't know what had happened to them. But, she did know that she and her driver had both been rebuilt and that both were in tip top shape. She didn't know where they were headed or what lie in store for them. But, she knew that they would encounter it together and would prevail.

Author's Note:Comments and feedback is always appreciated.


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